Many portable computing devices such as smartphones are equipped with sensing devices that can be used to identify appropriately labeled items (also referred to herein as components) that are in proximity to the device. For example, a portable computing device may be equipped with an optical sensing module (e.g., a camera) that can be configured to collect identification information from optical machine-readable labels such as bar codes and Quick Response (QR) codes.
Portable computing devices may also be configured to identify items via tags affixed to the items that are configured to convey item identification information via a wireless signal. Examples of tags that are configured to convey item information via a wireless signal include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and near field communication (NFC) tags.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.